The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Forfar church to make way for community centre.
Forfar: Minister and volunteers now clear to bring their dream to fruition
St Margaret’s Church in Forfar is to be demolished to make way for a new £1 million, multi-purpose community centre.
The plans were given the go-ahead yesterday at a meeting of an Angus Council development review committee.
Church members were in attendance to hear if their vision for the future would clear the final hurdle in what has been a long journey.
They were left disappointed last year after the plans were thrown out by Angus planners and rejected by development standards committee councillors on the grounds the building, which dates back to the 1880s, lay in the town’s conservation area.
They had submitted the proposals in light of refurbishment costs for the building which totalled £1.4m.
Review committee members were unanimous in their support of the application and upheld the church’s appeal.
They took issue with the conservation card played by planners – citing the nearby library building, former post office, Bank of Scotland, AG Barr “lemonade” factory and Ramsay Ladders’ buildings as examples of modern buildings.
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We want to have an accessible centre on West High Street that will provide a sports hall for people as well as a hospitality area, meeting space and disabled changing and toileting facilities
Bill Duff, SNP councillor for Montrose and District, said: “This looks like a modern development which will enhance the whole community .”
David Lumgair, Conservative councillor for Arbroath West and Letham, said: “In this day and age when, to attract people to church seems like a losing battle, these plans would make going to church a lot more attractive.”
Celebrating their victory, the Rev Maggie Hunt said they would now look forward to raising the funds to build “our dream”.
“We are delighted to have our appeal upheld and to have the opportunity to move forward with our plans for a multipurpose centre which will be for all the people of our parish, and not just the few who currently attend Sunday worship.
“My thanks have to go to the volunteers of our project management group who have worked tirelessly over many years to get us to this point.”
She continued: “We want to have an accessible centre on West High Street that will provide a sports hall for people as well as a hospitality area, meeting space and disabled changing and toileting facilities which are not currently available up our end of town.”
The plans had received 154 letters of support from the community, Forfar Community Council and local business owners as well as groups which use the existing building.
Councillors upheld the appeal on the grounds any historical environmental value of the site would not be compromised and that there would be an economic and social benefit, and that it delivered a high standard of design which would provide a positive benefit to the character and development of the surrounding area.